Wall St takes its name from the wooden stockade built by the Dutch in 1653 to protect themselves from the British colonies further north, and has been associated with money since the 18th century.
11 Wall St. is the address of the New York Stock Exchange but the main building, dating from 1903, is at 18 Broad St. with its 6 mammoth Corinthian columns and monumental statues representing Integrity surrounded by Agriculture, Mining, Science, Industry and Invention.
Not too sure how 'Integrity' fared in 2008.
Trading began in the aftermath of the Revolutionary war, and became so popular that in 1792 a group of 22 stockbrokers and merchants gathered underneath a buttonwood tree on Wall St., forming the initial trading group that would go on to be renamed the New York Stock Exchange in 1817.
We had to admit that it was strange to see at close quarters a building that is an almost-daily image for us back in the UK, Steve being a Bloomberg addict.
The architecture is stunning, with surprising vistas at every turn.
Many banks and financial institutions have now moved out of Wall St. and the buildings are increasingly being converted into high-end condos and shops.
The Trump Building
This is all too apparent at 40 Wall St. This former Bank of Manhatten Trust building was briefly the world's tallest skyscraper in 1930 (at 927 feet) before being topped by the Chrysler Building. Bought for $1 million in 1995, today it has an array of shops on the ground floor.
Federal Hall
26 Wall St. is where in 1789 George Washington was sworn in as America's first President on a second-floor balcony of what was then New York's second City Hall, commemorated by a monumental statue of Washington outside. At that time New York was the de facto capital of the nation and details of the US Constitution and Bill of Rights were also hammered out by Congress on this site. The present building was completed in 1842 as the US Customs House.
As nice as it would have been to have shopped here, we resisted the temptation.
As we walked along Wall St this first evening here, the architecture was stunning.
Trinity Church
Built in 1846, this was the city's tallest building for 50 years, a reminder of how relatively recently high-rise Manhatten has sprung up.
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| Trinity Church |
South Street Seaport
We hadn't intended to go much further than Wall St. tonight but caught a glimpse of water and went to have a look.
This is a tiny part of New York's original dockyards, since 1966 converted into a tourist area of shops and restaurants. It's now undergoing a refurb, partly as it is in need of modernisation, but also partly because of the damage caused last year by Hurricane Sandy. What it lacked in amenities, however, it more than made up for in its relaxed atmosphere and beautiful views.
You can cruise around the harbour on a fleet of 19th century vessels .......
....... or take the water taxi.
And there's a fine view of both the Brooklyn and Manhatten Bridges.
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